The Keto Diet ; A Fad or Here to Stay?
Finding the nearly ceaseless commercialization of weight-loss programs and diet programs perplexing? We'll focus on various popular diets and look at the data that backs them up.
The ketogenic or "keto" diet is a low-carb, high-fat
diet program that has been used to treat various medical issues for ages. The
ketogenic diet was widely utilized to help treat diabetes in the nineteenth
century. It was launched in 1920 as a successful therapy for epilepsy in
children who had failed to respond to medicines. The ketogenic diet has also
been used to treat cancer, diabetes, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and
Alzheimer's disease in carefully regulated conditions.
Due to the low-carb diet trend that began in the 1970s with the Atkins
diet, this diet is garnering a lot of interest as a possible weight-loss method
(a very low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet, which was a commercial success and
popularized low-carb diets to a new level). Other low-carb diets, including the Paleo, South Beach, and Dukan, are rich in protein but low in fat today.
The ketogenic diet, on the other hand, is distinguished by its very high-fat
content, often 70 percent to 80 percent, despite just a moderate protein
consumption.
◊ HOW DOES IT
WORK?
The ketogenic diet for weight reduction is based on the idea that by
depriving the body of glucose, which is the major source of energy for all
cells in the body and is obtained by ingesting carbohydrate meals, an
alternative fuel called ketones is created from stored fat (thus the word
"keto"-genic). Because it cannot retain glucose, the brain requires
the most glucose in a consistent supply, roughly 120 grams per day. The body
initially takes stored glucose from the liver and briefly breaks down muscle to
release glucose while fasting or eating very little carbohydrate. If this goes
on for 3-4 days and the body's stored glucose is depleted, blood levels of an
insulin-like hormone drop and the body switches to fat as its preferred fuel.
Ketone bodies are produced by the liver from fat and may be utilized in
the absence of glucose. Ketosis occurs when ketone bodies build in the blood. During
periods of fasting and highly hard activity, healthy people naturally
experience moderate ketosis.
According to proponents of the ketogenic diet, if the diet is followed
correctly, blood levels of ketones should not rise to dangerous levels since
the brain uses ketones for fuel and healthy people create enough insulin to
prevent excessive ketones from accumulating. The length of time it takes to
enter ketosis and the number of ketone bodies that build in the blood depends
on a variety of parameters, including body fat percentage and resting metabolic
rate.
◊ KETO DIET
BOTTOMLINE:
In the short term, the ketogenic diet has been demonstrated to generate
positive metabolic alterations. Along with weight reduction, health markers
related to obesity, such as insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and
raised cholesterol and triglycerides, have improved. Low-carbohydrate diets,
such as the ketogenic diet, are also gaining popularity as a treatment for type
2 diabetes. There are several ideas as to why the ketogenic diet aids weight
reduction, yet none have been proven in research:
◊ Due to the high fat content of the diet, it has a satiating effect and reduces food cravings.
◊ When consuming a low-carbohydrate diet, appetite-stimulating hormones such as insulin and ghrelin diminish.
◊ Ketone bodies, the body's principal fuel source on a diet, have a direct hunger-reducing effect.
◊ Increased calorie expenditure as a result of the metabolic impacts of fat and protein conversion to glucose.
◊ Fat reduction is prioritized over lean body mass, thanks to lower insulin levels.
◊ RECOMMENDATION
Those people who have struggled to lose weight with traditional techniques may benefit from a ketogenic diet. Because of their genetic makeup and body composition, the exact ratio of fat, carbohydrate, and protein required to attain health advantages varies by person.
If one decides to begin a ketogenic diet, it is
advised to consult with a physician and a dietitian to closely monitor any
biochemical changes that occur after beginning the diet, as well as to develop
a meal plan that is tailored to one's current health conditions in order to
avoid nutritional deficiencies or other health complications. Once you've lost
weight, a dietician can advise you on how to reintroduce carbs.
Ketogenic diets can help you lose weight by suppressing your hunger and
increasing your calorie burn. In practice, however, they do not surpass other
diets over time. However, some studies have shown that keto dieters lose more
weight in the short term. One must eat and exercise according to their body
specifications and avoid following fad diets, rather take it slow and steadily
if they want to lose weight.
